MandyB

I think i have asked this question before but never got a direct answer. We currently live in New Zealand (for the past 18 months) but have been considering moving over to Australia, more specifically Perth. While we are pretty confident that there is plenty of work there (OH is a bricklayer and i am a legal secretary) i was more interested in other folk who have perhaps done the same thing. Is Oz better for them, if so why and how, how do they compare it with NZ. What about if you have kids (we have one son about to turn 9 years old), how would another move affect them - what about the snakes and spider issue - do you see a lot of them.

In all honesty the main reason for moving to Oz would probably be money, wages are not too clever here in NZ, and also as my OH works outside so the promise of more sunshine is also a big plus (the winter here at the moment is fffrreeezing). I find New Zealand to be very very beautiful but having never visited OZ can't compare the two.

So, if there is ANYONE out there who has made this move i would really appredciate getting some feedback. Feel free to PM me.

Cheers

Mandy

kiwi_child

I spent most my life in NZ and have lived in OZ since the mid 90s. Most of that has been in Perth. I find it (and I'm not alone on this), to be a rather boring, socially backward kind of place. Very parochial and if you can't stand AFL then you will be driven up the wall if you watch commercial tv or listen to commercial radio here. Last night the lead story was about some footballer in a fight in a Darwin niteclub.The nationwide manhunt for the wanted Hell's Angel who murdered a guy and shot two others in melbourne came later in the bulletin. It can get uncomfortably hot in summer, though winter is mild.

As for better wages, that depends I guess on what you do. The IR law reforms have been harsh in places, people losing penalty, overtime, higher pub hols rates etc It's going to be a significant factor in the forthcoming election I imagine.

On top of this Perth was recently rated as being Australia's most expensive city to live in, surpassing Sydney and Melbourne. Average price of a basic house here in a reasonable area is approaching the $500,000 mark.

If I was moving to OZ again, I'd look to the east coast or Adelaide or Tassie (can be cold in winter in Melb and Tassie I hear). Best way to keep warm in cold weather, I have found, is to wear layers of clothing and coat, scarf, gloves and maybe a beanie.

What part of NZ are you in? Moving further north might do the trick, if not, then as I've already said, i'd look to the east coast of OZ.

annier

i have sent you a pm

MandyB

Hi Kiwi_Child, thanks for your input, i'm living in Christchurch. If you don't mind me asking, what prompted you to move to Perth in the first place? I've heard many mixed reactions to Perth, probably about 50:50 - it seems to be an either love it or hate it place. What is AFL? The main reason for choosing Perth is that we have been told that there is loads of work there for bricklayers and that they are on really good money (as compared with NZ - which can't be much worse), Melbourne would have been my preferred choice but there doesn't seem to be much work there for OH. I could probably get work anywhere as a Legal Secretary (i hope). Not really looked much into Adelaide or Tazmania.

Personally, i don't mind the cold, but then i don't have to work in it.

How hot does it get there in Perth then, i can handle early 30's but anything over that is just too much - especially on a daily basis. I've also heard flies can be quite bad there, is that true?

Why do you think it is boring? How big is Perth and surrounding suburbs?

Which suburbs would you recommend for bringing children up in and are the schools good (any better than here)?

I know you said the house prices are increasing but they are here too - ON THESE WAGES!!!!! It'll be a long time before we can dream of a house of our own, and there's rumours that rent could increase soon too.

Would we be straight out of the frying pan and into the fire i wonder!

Sorry for all the questions, thanks again for any input.

Mandy

JAJ

What kind of visa have you got in New Zealand (permanent or temporary)?
Or are you New Zealand or Australian citizens?

MandyB

We have permanent residency in New Zealand.

JAJ

In that case you should be aware that your NZ permanent residence gives you no special rights in Australia.

You should also be careful before abandoning your NZ residence, unless you have a permanent migration visa to Australia. Have you looked to see if you are eligible for an Indefinite Returning Resident Visa?

kiwi_child

I moved to Perth cos my marriage broke down and I had family living here. AFL is Australian (Rules) Football League, not to be confused with rugby league, which IMO is a far more interesting game. The REAL problem with it in Perth is the media overkill. Perth can get into the 40s at times during summer and is often mid to high 30s. It can become too hot to move !

I'm not familiar with job ops in the building trade, but I do know that the Queensland economy is also doing quite well. QSLD can get hot as well but has the added problem of humidity to contend with.

Flies can be a problem in summer. I'd say it's boring as theres not a hell of a lot to do here, people don't mingle and mix as freely here as they do in NZ. Basically if you haven't been born and grown up here you will never be considered a WA person socially. It's all a bit superficial and lacking in friendliness and community spirit for me. There is a real sense of social disconnection. Also to go see anything of interest you have to be prepared to travel by car for miles.

It is vastly different from christchurch, like a complete 180 degree turn around! I don't consider the education system here to be any better than anywhere else but have to admit I'm not up to date on the intricacies.

Perth suburbs: Well I prefer NOR (North Of River) and think areas like Mt.Lawley, North Perth, Hillary's, Mt.Hawthorn, Dianella, Ocean Reef, etc to be okay areas, of course there are many more also that are fine.

I'd avoid, parts of Maylands, Bayswater, Girrawheen, Balga, Armadale (and Seville Grove), Leda , Orelia,Kiwinana, Parmelia, Gosnells, Bentley, Vic Park, Thornlie, Maddington. Now I don't mean to upset anyone who lives in these areas, but let's be honest, they don't have the most shining of reputations. People obviously do live in these areas Mandy, I just wouldn't recommend them to anyone new to Perth. That said I did live in Maylands for a bit, but on the 'better part'. It is a bit like Aranui, you have your okay part and your rough part.

AndyR1976

Has anyone moved from New Zealand to Australia....

There is a joke at home (ini Oz) that says it all.....

An Australian was drinking in a bar with a guy from New Zealand. The New Zealander was saying how GREAT NEw Zealand was and the Aussie was listening along quietly.

the Kiwi took finished his beer and threw the glass on the floor - glass smashed and went everywhere, much the surprise of the Aussie. The New Zealander said proudly:

'In New Zealand we have long sandy beaches - we have so much sand that we can make more glass than any other country in the world, you never have to drink out of the same glass twice..'

The Aussie just nodded quietly.

then the Kiwi had a sip of water from a glass and threw the remaining water on the floor. He stood there in the puddle and said:

'In New Zealand we have cool running streams high in the mountains - you never have to drink from the same stream twice.

the Aussie nodded quietly.

Then the New Zealander took a plate of food that he was eating, took one bite of his lamb chop and threw the rest aside saying:

'In New Zealand we have so much fine food that you never have to worry about wasting it - never need to take a bite from the same meal twice.'

At this the Aussie took out his gun and shot the New Zealander.

Turning to the barmman the Aussie shrugged his shoulders and said:

'In Australia, there are so many Kiwi's you never have to drink with the same one twice...'


he he he

Geelong Gent

Problem with this joke

Tableland

You won't see a lot of snakes if youy stay in suburbia, but more spiders of course. About the working outdoors thing - Perth can have pretty sustained high temps and working outdoors in that can be tough.

Tableland

I lived in some of the places you mention and there were no problems at all. But I suppose that was a while ago now.

MandyB

Hi JAJ, yes we know we have no special rights to move to australia just being permenant residents in NZ. Not sure about the indefinite returning residents visa, i know we will have been here two years in November and our current returning residents visa changes. If we do decide to go to australia we will apply for permanent residency there first before doing anything else, and it will be a final move so it has to be right decision, i don't want to keep moving my son from pillar to post. Thanks for your advice.

MandyB

I may be going over to the Gold Coast in November for a holiday so might check out Brisbane, keep hearing a lot about feeling isolated in Perth, i've noticed there's a lot of people going back to the UK on this forum for that very reason. Can anyone compare the heat in Brisbane to the Perth - is Perth generally hotter, i gather Brisbane can be pretty humid

Buzzy--Bee

Yes Brisbane can be very humid.

However bear in mind that more Kiwis move from NZ - Brisbane than to any other Ozzie city, primarily because of the weather!

Buzzy (ex-NZ resident)